ongley



' G.E.ONGLEY. NON INTERFERENCE SIGNAL BOX.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

' No. 498,987. Patented June 6, 1 893.

(No Model.) Y 2 Sheets8heet 2.

0.3. NGLBY. NON INTERFERENGE SIGNAL BOX.

No'. 498,987. Patented June .6, 1893,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. ONGLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ONGLEY ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

NON-INTERFERENCE SIGNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,987, dated June 6, 1893.

Application filed January 19, 1891. Renewed November 16. 1892. Serial No. 452,150. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. ONGLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Non-Interference Signal-Boxes, (Case M,) of which the followingis a specification.

The invention relates to circuits and apparatus designed to prevent mutilation of signals in fire alarm and similar systems owing to the use of more than one signal transmitter at the same time.

The invention consists in certain features of construction of the transmitters and in certain new arrangements of circuits whereby the object above referred to is attained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the signal box, the outer cover being removed. Fig. 2 is a front view of the transmitter with the inclosing case and several other parts removed. Fig. 3 is a view on line a w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a diagram showing two transmitters and a receiver, and having an arrangement of circuits adapted to prevent interference; and Fig. 5 is a detail of the circuit controller at a signal box.

The construction of the box which is preferred is most clearly indicated in Fig. 3. It consists of a back plate 1, a wall 2, a front plate or cover 3, and a partition 4. On the back plate the main mechanism of the transmitter is mounted. This mechanism being of well known construction is not described in detail herein. As shown however in Figs. 2 and 5 the transmitter has two circuit making and breaking wheels 5, 6, and two springs 7, 8, one spring co-operating with each wheel in the well known manner. In the front plate is a hole into which the key 9, having a lug 9, may be inserted to wind or operate the transmitter. I

10 is the end of a shaft on which the key is adapted to fit. In the plate 11 isa hole 12 in line with the key-hole and of the same shape, as shown in Fig. 1. Behind the plate 11 is a spring 13 secured by a screw at 14. This spring is provided with a round hole 15immediately behind the round portion of the hole 12. Behind the spring 13, and normally out of contact with it, is a second spring 16. A screw 17 secures the box to post 18 and to the base; the spring 13 is connected by means of pin 19 passing through the partition to spring 20 and binding post 21. Within the chamber between the cover and partition is a magnet 22, having an armature 23 normally retracted by means of a spring or otherwise and carrying a plate 24, which, when the magnet is energized, obstructs the key-hole so that the key cannot be inserted far enough to operate the transmitter.

25 is one of the terminals of this magnet, the other terminal not being shown.

26 is a post similar to 18.

The circuit connections are shown in the diagram Fig. 4.

27, 28 are two transmitters or signal boxes connected by suitable circuits to a receiver 29, which is preferably a time register or recorder such as heretofore described by me. From the brush or circuit controlling spring 7 a wire 30 extends to magnet 31, which is the first magnet to be operated in the signal receiver, thence by wire 32 to battery 33 back to the first signal wheel, thus completing the circuit. As the transmitter revolves, this circuit is made and broken three times. wheel 6 then comes in contact with spring 8 and completes a similar circuit through magnet 34, which is the second magnet of the receiver. Pin 35 on one of the signal wheels then comes in contact with spring 36 and closes the circuit through magnet 37, which is the third magnet of the receiver. Magnets 31 and 3e may be type wheel propelling magnets, and 37 a printing magnet arranged as described in my Patent No. 443,787, granted December30,1890. Thewires38,39,40,41connect the springs 7, 8, 36 and the frame of the transmitter of the first box to corresponding parts of the succeeding transmitter or transmitters. The parts at the succeeding box are lettered to correspond with those of the first box. The spring 13 is connected by wire 42 to wire 43, and the spring 16 is connected by wire 44 to wire 45. Connected with said wires 43, 45 is a battery 46 and a magnet 47. 48 is a normally retracted armature for said magnet connected by wire 49 to battery 50 and wire 51.

52 is a front contact for the armature and is connected with the wire 43.

The magnets 22, 22' are connected in mul tiple are between the wires 51, 43.

The operation of the system and apparatus above described is as follows: When an operator inserts his key into any box when no other box is in use, the end of the key passes through the holes 12, 15 until the lug 9' strikes the spring 13 of the circuit controller of the switch circuit; as the key is then pushed in farther, the spring 13 is brought in contact with spring 16, closing the following circuit: 13, 16, 44, 47, 46, 42; this energizes ma net 47, attracts its armature, bringing 48 into contact with 52, thereby closing the circuit of the stronger battery 50 through the several magnets 22 in multiple arc. At the box being used, the plate 24 is pressed against the shank of the key but cannot move farther. At all other boxes however saidplate is drawn forward so that it covers or obstructs the keyhole and prevents any person from turning in as'ignal until the first person has completed his signal and withdrawn his key,

thereby breaking the circuit at spring 16 and allowing the several parts to resume their original positions.

The battery 46 may be a very weak battery, since it serves merely to operate a magnetic circuit closer for completing the circuit of battery 50.

With my system the key-hole of all boxes, except the one into which a key is first inserted, are covered as soon as said key is inserted and before it is turned to wind up the transmitter, and this is found to be a great advantage over systems in which the non-interference circuit is not closed until the key has been inserted and turned, since the latter operation gives sufficient time for an operator at another box to insert his key.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination with a signal transmitter, of a key for operating the transmitter, a circuit spring or plate in the path of said key and constituting a circuit terminal, and a second spring or plate cooperating with the first and forming a circuit terminal, whereby the circuit connected to said terminals is changed by the insertion of the key before the trans- Initter is operated, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a signal transmitter, a key for the transmitter, a circuit terminal between the key-hole and the shaft on which the key fits, the key being shaped to bear on said circuit terminal before it is inserted far enough to operate the transmitter, and a second circuit terminal adjacent to the first terminal, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a signal transmitter, a key for operating it, a circuit terminal between the key-hole and the shaft on which the any one of the transmitters, substantially as described.

5. The combination with several transmitters of non-interference devices consisting of plates adapted to obstruct thekey-holes, magnets adapted .to move said plates in multiple arc branches of a normally inoperative circuit, and means consisting of a second normally inoperative circuit including a magnet for moving an electrical circuit controller in the first circuit, and a circuit controller operated by the insertion of a key for changing the second circuit, substantially as described.

6. The combination with several transmitters, of means in each transmitter to prevent operation thereof while another is in use, a switch circuit between said transmitters and including circuit controllers ateach transmitter, and a second circuit between the transmitters controlled by the first circuit and including magnets for operating said means, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 13th-day of January, 1891.

CHARLES E. ONGLEY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES M. OATLIN, J. A. YOUNG. 

